Stages Of Second Language Acquisition Research Articles

Exploring the perception of politeness in relation to language attrition and interpersonal dynamics in an intercultural academic context

The present paper explores the intricacies of the perception of international doctoral students of politeness, linguistic choices, and language attrition, and their subsequent influence on intercultural academic relationships. The findings of this study provide an insight on the interplay between the perception of politeness and linguistic choices, a paramount determinant of successful academic communication. The data from this case study further shows that assimilation to the host country’s culture and linguistic nuances along with the length of academic breaks in the home country emerge as critical factors in second and first language attrition. The study underscores the imperative need for developing pragmatic competence and particularly ensuring its reinforcement through prolonged sustained exposure and productive language practice in both the nascent and advanced stages of second language acquisition in academic contexts where English is used as a lingua franca. As the environment of academic communication is becoming increasingly globalized, the results of this study emphasize the significance of effective communication and sustained pragmatic competencies in establishing effective academic networks, collaborations, and relationships in diverse intercultural settings.

Nauczyciele języków obcych: Iluzje – fakty – badania

The article aims to analyze meanings underlying the popular concepts of a good teacher, efficient teacher, novice, expert and experienced non-expert from a diachronic perspective. Criteria used across developmental stages of second language acquisition/ foreign language teaching in the process of teacher accreditation are examined, as well as social contexts influencing teacher evaluation. Reasons for teachers’ dissatisfaction with European school systems are presented, as well as coping strategies employed by frustrated teachers. New challenges springing from economic, social and cultural student diversity are also discussed. Implications are sought for pre- and in-service teacher education.

Important aspects in the assessment of bilingual children with suspected language impairment: The Vienna Model.

BackgroundDue to demographic changes over the last few decades, the number of multilingual children has grown rapidly. Many of them face problems in learning their second language. Similarities between linguistic manifestations of stages of second language acquisition and an impairment of language acquisition cause a diagnostic dilemma. The Vienna Model of language assessment in multilingual children will be presented.MethodsA key feature of our procedure is the integration of medical students as native speakers in diagnosing acquisition of the first language. A case study of a boy with Russian as first language illustrates the procedure.ResultsThe Vienna Model of language assessment in multilingual children offers the possibility to evaluate language competence in a differentiated manner with support of medical students as native speakers. Based on the bilingual assessment on different linguistic levels the diagnosis ICD-10 F80.0 is given. The subsequent short therapy showed an improvement regarding phonological competence.

Omission: Common Simple Present Tense Errors in Students' Writing of Descriptive Text

This research is aimed to determine and to describe the errors in using simple present tenses in writing descriptive texts made by students, especially in the class D of sixth semester of English Education Department at IAIN Palopo. The data were obtained by conducting a test and using a checklist. Then, the writing products were analyzed using Surface Strategy Taxonomy by Dulay (1982). The result of this research was presented descriptively. From the result, the omission errors were found as the highest of occurrence, which was about 47,05% which revealed that in the class D of sixth semester in English Education Department at IAIN Palopo, still made errors in using simple present tense in writing descriptive text. The errors that are mostly made by students were errors of omission. It is in line with Dulay (1982) which stated that errors of omission are found in greater abundance during the early stages of second language acquisition.

Teaching how to Listen. Blended Learning for the Development and Assessment of Listening Skills in a Second Language

This paper discusses the integration and effectiveness of blended learning for the development and assessment of listening skills in a second language. The development of oral abilities (listening and speaking) is one of the most challenging and neglected aspects of second language learning (Vandergrift & Goh 2012, Graham & Santos 2015). Listening comprehension work in particular is crucial in the early stages of second language acquisition, and, therefore, for ab-initio language students, for whom processing and decoding auditory input can be very challenging. In 2014 a set of online listening quizzes was created and integrated into two ab-initio Italian courses. The aim was to offer engaging, flexible listening comprehension practice and assessment, which would extend the students’ learning experience, stimulate their learning motivation and allow for a better use of face-to-face teaching in the classroom environment. Having conceptualised listening as a process rather than a product we designed tasks to teach learners how to listen, rather than merely test their comprehension. The validity of the quizzes as a means for the development of listening skills and as a tool for formative and summative assessment was subjected to systematic analysis via an online student survey. The large amount of data collected reveals that the quizzes were a key element in the development of listening skills and the delivery mode did not only meet the students’ learning needs but it was clearly preferred to in-class assessment.

A facilitating effect of prosodic transfer on non-native fluent speech listening

ABSTRACTNative speakers of a language use metrical structure, phonotactics, and phonetic cues in word segmentation; however, this knowledge can interfere with non-native speech perception and second language learning. Prosodic transfer effects are typically investigated with isolated words and phrases, or simple artificial languages; the current study examines how prosody affects perception and word learning in acoustically complex natural speech. Two experiments test effects of native language prosody on word identification in prosodically similar and dissimilar languages; they also test the types of language exposure and learning tasks in which prosodic transfer may occur. English speakers were exposed to one of two non-native languages (Finnish or Japanese) in three training conditions. Results indicate that learning can occur thru exposure to fluent speech in a prosodically similar language and suggest that effects of prosody on fluent speech perception are an important factor in early stages of second language acquisition.

Neural signatures of second language learning and control

Experience with multiple languages has unique effects on cortical structure and information processing. Differences in gray matter density and patterns of cortical activation are observed in lifelong bilinguals compared to monolinguals as a result of their experience managing interference across languages. Monolinguals who acquire a second language later in life begin to encounter the same type of linguistic interference as bilinguals, but with a different pre-existing language architecture. The current study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore the beginning stages of second language acquisition and cross-linguistic interference in monolingual adults. We found that after English monolinguals learned novel Spanish vocabulary, English and Spanish auditory words led to distinct patterns of cortical activation, with greater recruitment of posterior parietal regions in response to English words and of left hippocampus in response to Spanish words. In addition, cross-linguistic interference from English influenced processing of newly-learned Spanish words, decreasing hippocampus activity. Results suggest that monolinguals may rely on different memory systems to process a newly-learned second language, and that the second language system is sensitive to native language interference.

Individual Variations in Second Language Acquisition

The purpose of this paper is to explore the stages involved in acquiring a second language. A comparison between the first and second language acquisition will be discussed in understanding the stages of second language acquisition. Furthermore, this paper will look into the differences of how each individual learn a second language. There are many major areas of individual differences in second language acquisition and this paper will provide a general overview of three of the many areas.

Practices That Promote English Reading for English Learners (ELs)

Schools are becoming increasingly diversified; however, training and professional development related to working with English language learners (ELs), especially in the area of English reading, is limited. In this article, we identify three “Big Ideas” of effective and collaborative practices that promote English reading achievement for EL students: (a) foster academic English at all stages of second-language acquisition by explicitly teaching vocabulary, emphasizing cross-linguistic transfer strategies, and supporting ongoing oral language development; (b) adopt a schoolwide collaborative approach to conduct frequent formative reading assessments and use the data to drive instruction by providing accommodations that promote English reading; and (c) implement a variety of grouping strategies to deliver reading instruction within a welcoming and sensitive learning climate. In addition, we discuss how school professionals may proactively instruct ELs and collaborate within a multidisciplinary framework to improve the English reading ability of students who are simultaneously learning the English language.

Honey Ant Readers

On entering school, rural Australian children from Indigenous backgrounds are thrown into an unfamiliar environment, linguistically and culturally, which sets them up for failure. The author, working closely with elders and community in Alice Springs, has drawn on her considerable experience in both Indigenous education and TESOL to address this disadvantage by developing a progressive series of early readers specifically targeted to rural Indigenous learners. This innovative series of books and resources is developed to teach both reading and Standard Australian English (SAE) to speakers of Aboriginal English (AE). The presenter will outline the research, development, theory, publication and application of the Honey Ant Readers and will discuss their adaptability for all languages. Focussing on the particular needs of Indigenous learners, and to assist them in acquiring reading, the content is made relevant by using Indigenous themes, stories and characters. Reading is scaffolded across 20 books in the following ways: the language moves from a light form of AE (referred to as ‘The language of the playground’) to SAE following natural stages of second language acquisition; phonic words, selected for their phonemic closeness to Central Australian Aboriginal languages are introduced gradually; the illustrations become more complex and the size and amount of text is graduated. The themes and style of storytelling are Indigenous, as are the characters in the books. Characters are referred to according to their role within family, rather than by name, for cultural reasons. The presenter will demonstrate and share ideas on the use of interactive, supplementary resources, designed to reinforce the material in the HARs, and to engage learners of all ages, including teenagers, through physical participation and fun. Songs and rhymes, central to the pedagogy, are used to reinforce Standard English grammar and pronunciation, as well as the four macro skills of language learning: reading, writing, speaking and listening. Results at this early stage show that as students engage with the materials and relate to the subject matter of the books, they find it easier to start reading. With an increased interest in reading, their literacy and oral language acquisition is accelerated. Of particular significance, parents are also engaging with their children’s literacy learning as the materials are equally relevant to them. The speaker will discuss the latest HAR research findings. The principles of the pedagogy and methodology in the HARs are being applied to other learners throughout Australia and overseas. The first Readers for Chinese and Ghanaian ESL learners have been published, and the HARs have been translated into 6 Aboriginal languages.

Orthography-induced transfer in the production of English-speaking learners of Spanish

This article reports on a study on the effect of orthography on L1-based phonological transfer in L2 production in 40 novice English-speaking learners of Spanish. In particular, the role of auditory-orthographic training and production and the influence of grapheme-to-phoneme correspondences are examined. Data elicited via a picture-naming task reveal a robust effect of orthography on phonological transfer leading to non-target-like productions at the very beginning stages of second language acquisition. There is also strong evidence that condition of training and production as well as the type of grapheme-to-phoneme correspondence determine the quantity of transfer. The difference in the quantity of transfer between the individual grapheme-to-phoneme correspondences is explained in light of salience and frequency effects. Pedagogical implications of the findings are also discussed.

Adult English Language Learners' Perceptions of Audience Response Systems (Clickers) as Communication Aides: A Q‐Methodology Study

This study explored the perceptions of adult English language learners about audience response systems (clickers) as tools to facilitate communication. According to second language acquisition theory, learners' receptive capabilities in the early stages of second language acquisition surpass expressive capabilities, often rendering them silent in their second language. Clickers may help English language learners to communicate more effectively by enabling them to express themselves nonverbally. In this Q‐methodological study, adult English language learners enrolled in a computer skills course ranked statements about using clickers according to how closely they aligned with their perceptions about the ability of clickers to facilitate communication. Factor analysis identified commonalities and patterns in perceptions, confirming that second language acquisition theory influences how technology tools are perceived by English language learners. Results of this study may suggest more effective instructional and assessment practices for adult English language learners, and lead to further research of educational technology communication tools with English language learners of all ages.

THE CASE FOR AUTHENTIC MATERIALS ON VIDEODISC

Widely available foreign language video is an invaluable resource for practicing listening comprehension and developing cultural awareness. Laser videodisc technology makes it possible to study foreign language video objectively in minute details. Objective, detailed study makes foreign language video accessible in the early stages of second language acquisition, and easy to integrate into any curriculum. Authentic documents should be made available on videodiscs so that foreign language video pedagogy can be developed and its resources fully exploited.

The Issue of Age and Language Transfer in Second Language Acquisition

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to second language acquisition research by exploring the age effects in the initial stages of second language (L2) development with respect to the mother tongue transfer of morphosyntactic features. It assumes the generative framework of grammar and language acquisition, where direct L2 child- adult comparison has been a neglected area of research. The [± strong] Infl parameter of Universal Grammar, V-raising in particular, is taken as the linguistic element of investigation, since it assigns different values in English [- strong] and in Macedonian [+ strong]. The participants in the experiment were a group of children (age 8-11) and a group of adults (age 20-60), all native speakers of Macedonian and beginners of L2 English. They were tested after a four-week exposure to specifically designed instruction on English V-raising. As the entire L1 grammar transfers, the results offer support for the Conservation Hypothesis for L1 transfer for the initial stages of second language acquisition (Van de Craats et al. 1999).

The social and cultural contexts of second language acquisition in young children

ABSTRACT The aim of the present study was to examine the social behaviour and competence of children, ages 3–6 as they progressed through the stages of second language acquisition in a dual‐immersion program in English and Mandarin. Over 100 2–3 hour classroom observations were made during the school year. Teachers’ evaluations of children’s social competence and behaviour were collected at the beginning and end of the school year. Results suggest that girls had more social adjustment difficulties than boys. However, as language skills increased, adjustment difficulties decreased significantly among all children. RÉSUMÉ: L’objectif de cette étude est l’analyse des compétences et comportements sociaux des enfants de 3–6 ans lors de l’acquisition d’une seconde langue dans un programme d’immersion en Anglais et en Mandarin. Plus de 100 observations de classe de 2–3 heures ont été effectuées pendant l’année scolaire. Les évaluations des compétences et comportements sociaux des enfants, effectuées par les enseigants, ont été recueillies au début et à la fin de l’année scolaire. Les résultats indiquent que les filles ont davantage de difficultés d’ajustement social que les garçons. Cependant, avec les progrès dans l’acquisition langagière. ces difficultés diminuent de façon significative chez tous les enfants. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Das Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war eine Untersuchung des Sozialverhaltens und der sozialen Fähigkeiten von Kindern im Alter von 3–6 Jahren, während Stufen zum Erwerb einer zweiten Sprache in einem zweisprachigen Immersionsprogramm in Englisch und Mandarin durchliefen. Über einhundert 2‐ bis 3‐stündige Beobachtungen im Klassenzimmer wurden während des Schuljahrs gemacht. Die Bewertungen von Lehrern bezüglich der sozialen Fähigkeiten und des Sozialverhaltens der Kinder wurden am Anfang und am Ende des Schuljahrs gesammelt. Die Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass Mädchen größere soziale Anpassungsschwierigkeiten hatten als Jungen. Als die Sprachfähigkeiten jedoch besser wurden, sind die Anpassungsschwierigkeiten unter allen Kindern wesentlich geringer geworden. RESUMEN: El objetivo del presente estudio fue examinar el comportamiento y competencia social de niños de 3 a 6 años de edad, mientras progresaron por las etapas de la adquisición de un segundo idioma en un programa de doble inmersión en inglés y la lengua mandarina. Más de 100 observaciones en las aulas, de 2 a 3 horas, se realizaron durante el año escolar. Al principio y al final de este periodo, fueron recogidas las evaluaciones de los maestros sobre la competencia y comportamiento social de los niños. Los resultados sugirieron que las niñas tenian más dificultades en las adaptaciones sociales que los niños. Sin embargo, a media que aumentaban las destrezas en los idiomas, las dificultades en las adaptaciones disminuyeron significativamente para todos los niños.

Developmental Stages in Advanced SLA

Second Language Acquisition (SLA) researchers have yet to map the developmental stages language learners go through as they approach the target language. In studies of English as a Second Language (ESL) writing, the term 'advanced learner' has been applied indiscriminately to learners ranging from freshman ESL composition to graduate students. There is a need to examine the advanced stages of SLA in order to refine SLA theories and pedagogical approaches. A corpus of texts written by non-native English-speaking doctoral students in applied linguistics from several linguistic backgrounds was analyzed to determine the texts’ lexical, morphological and syntactic fluency, accuracy and complexity. A sub-corpus of papers by native-English-speaking peers was used for comparison. The texts were strictly-timed and loosely-timed exams written 2 to 3 years apart. Surveys and interviews were also conducted. Based on findings, the study defines data-based criteria that distinguish four quantitatively and qualitatively distinct developmental stages: the advanced, highly advanced, near-native, and native-like stages. Advanced learners make more frequent and varied errors which can be explained by transfer from the first language. Native-like writers make few errors that can be explained by overgeneralization of conventions from informal English and working memory limitations (similar to native speakers’ errors). The study suggests that SLA is a process of transfer followed by relearning of morpho-syntactic specifications (Herschensohn, 2000), with syntax being used with the greatest accuracy (Bardovi-Harlig & Bofman, 1989) and lexicon with the least. The relationships between accuracy and other social and cognitive factors are considered, and pedagogical recommendations are made.

Awareness of second language inflectional morphology: A case study on Finnish as a second language

The Finnish language has a very extensive inflectional morphology, whereas Vietnamese, as an isolating language, has no inflection at all. Therefore, the major challenge encountered by Vietnamese immigrants learning Finnish is to develop awareness of the existence, function and use of inflection. This paper examines how this process manifests itself in native-non-native speaker (NS-NNS) conversations during the initial stages of second language acquisition. All the negotiation sequences including overt signals of problems in understanding were subjected to a closer analysis, and the linguistic modifications performed to solve the problems were analysed on the level of both interaction and grammar. In this paper, the focus is on the observable signs of gradually growing morphological awareness, and especially the receptive segmenting skills of the learners.

Incomplete acquisition and attrition of Spanish tense/aspect distinctions in adult bilinguals

This study investigates whether age of onset of bilingualism has an effect on ultimate attainment, and documents incomplete acquisition and attrition of tense/aspect morphology in Spanish. A group of 20 monolingual Spanish speakers, 31 US-born bilinguals, and 8 Latin America-born bilinguals participated in the study. Sixteen of the US-born participants were simultaneous bilinguals who had been exposed to Spanish and English from ages 0 to 3, the remaining 15 learned English between ages 4 to 7 (early child L2 learners), and the Latin-America-born bilinguals learned English between 8 and 12 years of age (late child L2 learners). Results of an oral production, a written completion, and two meaning-interpretation tasks showed that the simultaneous bilingual and the early child L2 groups differed significantly from monolingual Spanish speakers, while only a few individuals in the late child L2 group showed erosion with some aspects. Results suggest that morpho-phonological spell-outs and semantic features of functional categories are affected by incomplete acquisition and language loss, and that many of the patterns of divergence found resemble stages of second language acquisition.

Early Steps in Bilingualism: Learning Irish in Irish Language Immersion Pre‐Schools

In recent years there has been a growth of interest in Irish language immersion education at every level, including preschool. This article examines the process of the acquisition of Irish as a Second Language in Irish‐medium playgroups (naíonraí) and looks at the role of both the children and their teachers. Data was gathered from two naíonraí in Dublin. The analysis is based on the initial stages of Second Language Acquisition as identified by Hatch and Krashen in the Discourse Analysis tradition. The role of the adults in providing simplified comprehensible input, contextual clues and a supportive atmosphere is found to be significant as is the regularity of routine interactional situations and activities and the language used within them. The active role of the child in language acquisition is emphasised and the need both to allow natural progression to take place and to create opportunities for speaking in the Second Language is highlighted.

The effect of bilingualism on cognitive ability: A test of the level of bilingualism hypothesis

ABSTRACTDoes bilingualism facilitate the development of cognitive abilities, and if so, how? According to the level of bilingualism hypothesis (Diaz, 1983), only in the early stages of second language acquisition does bilingualism foster cognitive ability. This hypothesis was tested on a sample of 3rd and 4th grade Mexican Spanish-English bilinguals with low English proficiency. Knowledge of Spanish and English in phonology, vocabulary, and syntax was measured. Nonverbal general intelligence was assessed with the Raven Colored Progressive Matrices, and verbal intelligence was assessed with a subtest of the Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery. No relationship was found between degree of bilingualism and nonverbal intelligence, contrary to the level of bilingualism hypothesis. The results suggest that the effects of bilingualism on cognitive development are not solely dependent on the level of second language proficiency.